ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Iowa volleyball team fell to No. 17 Michigan, 3-1, in Cliff Keen Arena on Saturday, Oct. 12. With the loss, the Hawkeyes drop to 9-9 overall and 0-6 in Big Ten action. Michigan moves to 12-5 overall and 2-4 in conference play.
Iowa and Michigan battled back and forth early in set one, playing through four ties before the Wolverines outscored the Hawkeyes 9-1 to seize the momentum. Michigan would not surrender its lead en route to a 25-13 set one win.
The Hawkeyes returned to the court with a four point run, fueled by an Alessandra Dietz kill, Nikki Dailey service ace, and Rachael Bedell kill, to open set two. Michigan rallied back to take a slight lead, but Iowa fought back with a 4-0 run to regain the advantage. A Bedell kill and a pair of Dailey service aces propelled the Hawkeye offense in the stretch.
The Hawkeye lead held until the Wolverines used a three point run to edge out Iowa and post a 25-23 second set win.
The teams wrestled through 12 ties and six lead changes in the third set, but it was the Hawkeyes who came out on top with a 25-22 set victory. With the score knotted 4-4, Iowa outdid Michigan offensively 7-3 to pull ahead by five. A pair of kills from Erin Leppek and Bedell combined with kills from Dietz and Anne Yanda equaled the drive.
Michigan responded outscoring the Hawkeyes 6-2 to tie the fourth set yet again at 13-13. Iowa pulled back ahead and maintained the lead with kills from Erin Radke, Leppek, and Bedell. The Wolverines fought back to tie it up three times, but Iowa held them off, closing out the third set victory with a Bedell kill and a pair of kills from Lovell.
The Wolverines recorded the fourth and final set win, 25-19, to win its second Big Ten match of the season, 3-1, over the Hawkeyes.
Lovell and Bedell paced the Hawkeyes with 12-kill efforts. Dailey led the squad with 21 assists, while Yanda added a season-high nine assists. Leppek compiled a new career best with a seven block effort, which also led the team. Bethany Yeager posted a team-most 14 digs.
